Rumsfeld makes space operations a priority at Defense

By Katherine McIntire Peters

May 9, 2001

In his first major decision on revamping the military forces, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld on Tuesday announced far-reaching changes to military space programs and gave the Air Force responsibility for all space operations within the Defense Department. The Army and Navy will retain space programs and expertise unique to their services, but will report to the Air Force under the new structure.

The United States' tremendous reliance on satellite communications for both civilian and military needs has caused concern about the vulnerability of those satellites to enemy attack. While the Air Force has long held the bulk of forces devoted to space operations at Defense, many space advocates within the service have felt marginalized by Air Force leaders they believed were more committed to aircraft than to spacecraft. While Rumsfeld's announcement is likely to allay those concerns, it is also likely to raise concerns among those who fear the move will lead to the further militarization of space--a fear Rumsfeld says is misplaced.

"A new and comprehensive national security space management and organizational approach is needed to promote and protect our interests in space," he said. Rumsfeld and CIA director George Tenet have been meeting regularly to address intelligence matters related to space operations and will co- chair an executive committee that will review issues of joint concern. In addition, a Policy Coordinating Committee for Space is being established within the National Security Council to provide a senior, interagency forum to develop, coordinate and monitor the implementation of space activities.

Among the changes at Defense:

The Air Force Space Command will be headed by a four-star general other than the commander in chief of the joint-service U.S. Space Command (CINCSPACE) and the commander in chief of the North American Aerospace Defense Command (CINCNORAD). Those positions, required by law, will no longer have to be held by flight-rated officers, thus opening them up to any officer of any service with an adequate understanding of space and combat operations.

The Air Force will have department-wide responsibility for organizing, training and equipping personnel for offensive and defensive space operations, along with responsibility for planning and acquisition of space systems. (The Army and Navy will continue to research, develop, acquire and deploy space systems unique to their services.)

The undersecretary of the Air Force will also be the director of the National Reconnaissance Office, designated the Air Force Acquisition Executive for Space, and delegated milestone decision authority for defense space programs through the Secretary of the Air Force. This will align the Air Force and National Reconnasissance Office programs and foster the sharing of best business practices, Rumsfeld said.

The director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and the service labs will conduct research and development of innovative space technologies and systems for dedicated military missions.

The Defense comptroller and chief financial officer will establish a budget and accounting system for the space program to increase visibility of the resources allocated for space activities.

Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, who wrote the legislation in the House that mandated the space commission, applauded Rumsfeld's announcement. "There are close to 750 satellites in orbit around the Earth right now. Nearly half of these belong to the United Sates. We've got more to lose than any other country, not only because we've got more satellites up there, but because we rely on these satellites more than anyone else," he said. "To leave these assets unprotected just doesn't make sense, particularly at a time when other nations either have the means or are developing the means to bring them down."

"Make no mistake--just as dominance of the skies was critical to military success in the 20th century, dominance of space will be critical to military success in the 21st. Secretary Rumsfeld's decision to better focus our resources and efforts in this area recognizes that fact," Thornberry said.